Thank you for reviewing:
Undergargle: Yeah, I was kinda going for the whole nice but mean thing because it seemed something Sweeney might do :D
xBadxRomancesx: I've posted the first chapter!
MoonlitSerenity: That quote made me laugh XD I was rather worried because my friend told me it reminded her of Twilight, so I threw my pillow at her! And I miss "Angel" as well because it was the first fanfiction I ever wrote, so I've posted the first chapter! XD
obsessivelyfanaticgw09: Thank you! XD I feel sorry for Amy as well and I'm the one writing it!
Piper Lestrange: Sadly, yes, the fic will be finished soon :( I hope to make it last for a few more chapters so it's an equal length, like "Life", so it will probably go up to fourty and then be finished :D
Chapter Thirty Five
I couldn't help it.
It was as if everything I had been through was a tower, looming over me, wobbling each time a problem joined it. I had watched and I had waited, and now...everything just fell.
Everything just fell on top of me and I couldn't stop it.
I could feel my whole body shaking, my eyes hurting, my head pounding...but none of mattered. I felt like I was going to be sick, like I was going to hit someone or something, like my whole body was going to explode, but still I didn't care.
I just wanted to close my eyes and disappear.
I could feel arms around me, lips on the top of my head, my body being rocked back and forth.
I could hear Mum whispering, shushing me and singing under her breath.
I could see Sweeney. I could see him standing over me, watching me with a blank expression. It made me feel sick.
I clung to Mum, my knuckles screaming in protest and my fingers feeling like they were about to snap off. I buried my face into her, squeezing my eyes shut with all my might.
I just wanted to disappear.
I needed to disappear.
I needed to.
I drifted in and out of sleep, each time waking up in Mum's arms. The last time, however, I woke up on the sofa once more, curled under a few blankets.
I was alone.
I sat up and realized I was only wearing my nightdress. My cheeks flushed as I wondered who had changed me. I didn't mind it so much if it was Mum, but it was still quite, well, embarrassing.
The first thing I spotted were my clothes.
My jeans, my white t-shirt, my checked shirt, my hoodie and my shoes were piled up neatly, my beanie hat resting on the top.
Without really thinking, I pulled my jeans on under my nightdress and, after checking I was still alone, changed my nightdress for my white shirt. After a silent moment of debating, I left the checked shirt and beanie hat. After slipping my converses and hoodie on, I left the room.
I hadn't realized how late it was; it was so dark outside.
But where was everyone?
I then remembered the stairs, the ones I had to pass to enter the shop. Maybe there were some spare rooms or something...
Pushing this out of my mind, I headed for the side door.
It felt like years since I had walked up those wooden steps, my hand gently resting on the banister and the steps creaking with every step.
I soon reached the top, and I suddenly regretted ever walking up here.
I was scared.
No! No, I couldn't be scared! I had sworn to myself that I would never be scared again, that fear wasn't going to take over my life!
But I was still scared.
A tear trickled down my cheek as I dithered helplessly, unable to decide what to do.
What was I going to do?
Before I could stop myself, I walked forwards and knocked on Sweeney's door.
"Come in." Sweeney called from the other side. Again, before I could stop myself, I opened the door and stepped inside.
Sweeney looked at me. I looked back at him.
I knew I should speak, but...I couldn't.
I wanted to speak, but...I couldn't.
I couldn't do anything, really.
Sweeney didn't seem too keen on starting the conversation either.
"Thank you."
The words escaped my lips before I could stop them, or think about it, but I had to say them. They were the only thing I could think to say.
"What for?" Sweeney asked, his eyes refusing to meet mine.
"Everything."
This made him look up, his brow furrowing.
I swallowed.
"You...you helped us when we told you about Mum...you've helped us so much...you helped me," I said. "You were just there whether we wanted you to be or not. You put up with us when we were annoying. You...you believed us when we told you such a mad story."
I paused, trying to calm myself down, and let out a heavy sigh.
"You helped me. So...thank you. For everything."
Sweeney simply looked at me before looking away, his eyes on the ground.
"I didn't do much." He said quietly.
I stepped forwards, closer to him.
"You did everything!" I insisted. "Seriously, if it wasn't for you and Mrs Lovett, we wouldn't be here now. If it wasn't for you, I'd probably be..." I paused, blinking back the tears. "I'd probably still be in Turpin's."
Sweeney's eyes flashed up to meet mine once more, filled with pain.
"He has hurt so many people." He muttered.
"I know! I'm one of them, and so are you!" I said earnestly, walking forwards. "But he's gone because of you! You've stopped him from hurting everyone!"
Sweeney simply looked at me silently. I smiled hopefully.
"Ok, maybe what you've done isn't exactly legal, but you've helped so many people! You have stopped that man from hurting so many people!"
Without thinking, I hugged him.
I knew it would be ok, because I had hugged him at least twice now! He reminded me of Dad when I hugged him; he made me feel safe.
"I'm gonna miss you." I murmured before pulling away. Sweeney frowned.
"What do you mean?"
I smiled sadly.
"We're together...my family is back together. Yeah, we're kinda little and broken now...but we're together. We'll be fine, just the four of us," I said quietly. "I think we're going home soon."
"How?" Sweeney asked me, frowning. I laughed.
"I don't know! But we will!"
Sweeney looked at me. And looked at me. And looked at me some more.
Oh jeez.
"I'm gonna miss you, honestly, and I won't ever forget you...but we've got to go back. We don't belong here." I admitted sheepishly.
Sweeney sighed as he looked away, his eyes on the ground. I could feel tears springing to my eyes, but blinked them away.
"Please don't hate me." I begged.
Before he could respond, I heard the door opened.
I looked over my shoulder, a small smile spreading across my face as I saw Mrs Lovett, Mum, Ben and Nellie walk in, Mum holding my checked shirt and hat in her hands.
"We thought you'd run away, love." Mrs Lovett told me with a smile. I let out a small laugh.
"No...just came up here to thank Mr Todd."
Mum smiled as she walked forwards, wrapping an arm around my shoulders.
"I think we all owe you our thanks, Mr Todd," She said. "Thank you for looking after my children, both of you."
Ben also walked forwards, standing behind Mum and I.
"Yes, thank you."
We all waited.
"Nellie!"
Rolling her eyes, Nellie walked forwards.
"Yeah, cheers." She muttered, crossing her arms and looking at the floor.
"My whole life has changed because of you two," Mum said, looking at Sweeney and Mrs Lovett, who had moved to stand next to him. "But I'm so glad it has. Thank you so much for...everything."
"Oh, Joey," Mrs Lovett said, rushing forwards to hug our Mum. Mum removed her arm from my shoulders to hug her back.
Once their hug had broken, Mum looked at Sweeney.
"Guess this is goodbye, huh?" She asked, grinning sheepishly. I gazed up at her curiously; she suddenly looked so much younger...as in...my age.
Sweeney silently nodded once, his eyes not leaving Mum's. Without saying anything, she walked forwards and hugged him.
As the two hugged each other, the weirdest thing happened.
Mum...changed.
For the moment they hugged, Mum suddenly changed from our Mum to a teenager!
I knew she was still herself; I had seen the photos of her as a teenager. But it was just so...weird.
Mum pulled away, herself again, and grinned up at Sweeney.
"Hey, I might see you again sometime," She said. "You can't get rid of me that easily."
Sweeney gave her a small smile.
"Goodbye, Joey." He murmured.
"Goodbye," Mum murmured. "Dad."
And then everything suddenly went black.